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Student uses first paycheque to buy surprise sneakers for fellow classmate

Feb 17, 2018 | 9:07 AM

Caleb Hammond wanted to start off on the right foot with his first paycheque.

While Hammond was leaning towards purchasing himself a new pair of basketball shoes, his mind was changed by fellow player Tanner Svenson, an Ecole St. Mary High School classmate with high-functioning autism who only started shooting hoops this year.

“I was going to buy myself shoes, but then I saw Tanner and I was like, that is who deserves shoes, not me. I have shoes,” the 15-year-old said. “I might as well lift other people around me.”

Hammond said he was driven to the random act of kindness after watching one of Svenson’s Junior A basketball games. The team was down by 20-points but battled back, and Hammond said Tanner “was just always giving 100 per cent.”

“That is the mentality I want to get. Always go 100 per cent no matter what.”

Hammond pondered long and hard about what pair of kicks would be perfect for Tanner. He travelled to Saskatoon in the hunt, but to no avail. Hammond then turned to the internet and snatched up a size seven pair of Kyrie Irving shoes. He said the Kyrie 4 sneakers, inspired by the Boston Celtics point guard, were the right fit, as they matched Tanner’s playing style.

“He moves fast and is always hustling, so I was like Kyrie’s [are] the perfect shoes for him,” he said.

The Grade 10 student added he was pleased someone deserving could slide their feet into new shoes, opposed to the often times, as Hammond said, “complaining and almost crying [NBA players] in the games.”

“Tanner has a normal life like every one of us. He deserves the shoes more than any basketball player. They should be giving him the shoes,” Hammond said. “He always gives 100 per cent and he deserves these.”

For Tanner and his family, the gift was a pleasant surprise in many ways.

“I really appreciate it…. They make me feel like a better basketball player and I feel amazed for having new shoes,” Tanner said. “I didn’t really expect that. I was about to cry but I held back the tears. [It is a] good act of kindness.”

His mother Taryn was mixed in her reaction to the initial news, but after hearing the story said her “heart got a little bigger.”

“Maybe they think we are poor?” she said with a laugh. “It was just so emotional to know that this boy that didn’t even play on my son’s basketball team … was able to do this for Tanner.”

Taryn explained how Tanner recently had surgery, and it has allowed him to come a long way in a short period of time. She said the family never splurged on his shoes as they were hesitant on how long-term his commitment to the sport would be.

“He would never have done a team sport like basketball two years ago,” she said.

But the team has since embraced Tanner and his positivity and the sport has become his passion — so much so Taryn said Tanner now wants to take a swing at tryouts for the badminton team.

Taryn said she was proud and overwhelmed knowing her son had inspired so many around him.

“It honestly doesn’t surprise me because he does deserve good things because he is an amazing young man,” she said. “He is on top of the world right now and this basketball experience has kept him on top of his game.”

After her son received the gift, Taryn said she wanted to turn to social media to share the good news. As she is employed as a social media manager for various companies and spends several hours a day online, she felt compelled to share the story in light of the gale of negative and saddening stories circulating online in recent weeks.

“I just felt, while laying in bed, I was going to share this story with my friends of something awesome and powerful,” she said. “I think we should have more of it and recognize more young men like Tanner and Caleb.”

 

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr